Read The Coastal Kingdoms of Olvion: Book Two of The Chronicles of Olvion for Free Online

still only capable of containing her tears until she was alone.  With nothing to distract her, the emotional pain would return, and she would lose control no matter how many times she told herself that she was now capable of fighting it off.
    When her emotional reservoir was once again empty she toweled off, lay on her bed and pulled the covers under her chin.  She would stay there until awakening the next morning.
    ***
    Dr. Marilyn Patel, wearing her “Hello Kitty” scrubs, walked quickly through the corridors of Clovis Municipal Hospital.  She was a second generation American and a third generation doctor.  A graduate of Harvard Medical School, Patel was one of the best in the field of emergency medicine.  She loved the practice of medicine and loved the excitement of not knowing what she might encounter every day on the job.  She and her husband, a Trauma Surgeon, had moved from Houston to the Fresno/Clovis area over four years ago and were enjoying the less hectic medical demands of a smaller city.
    Patel was very popular at work and this required her to return many waves and smiles as she made her way from the cafeteria to the emergency room. Her long pony tail bounced with each step she took.  Her hospital-provided cell phone had delivered to her a text from the intake manager in emergency.  A young man had just been brought in by emergency med techs with a serious wound to his head.  Though it appeared to be a life-threatening injury Patel did not run.  She had long ago learned that it did no good to race through the halls, scaring patients and visitors only to arrive at the trauma room too tired to do anything but gulp air for five minutes.  A brisk walking pace got her to her destination almost as fast, and she was able to start her examination immediately.
    She slapped the round stainless steel pad on the wall to trigger the automatic opening system to the double doors leading to the room set aside for major trauma treatment.  Entering, she accepted a clipboard from Juan, the Medical Assistant. 
    “Trauma Room,” he said unnecessarily.
    Patel never slowed, just nodded on her way to the indicated room.  She quickly read the notes and thought that the patient was in a major hurt locker.  She opened the door and saw…nothing.
    The bed was disheveled like someone had been in it, there were traces of blood on the small pillow, and liquid dripped onto the floor from the exposed needle of a hanging fluid tube.
    “Juan, stat!” she yelled into the hallway.
    The M.A. came trotting over to her, eyebrows raised.
    “The trauma patient…where did they take him?” she asked.
    Juan appeared perplexed and looked around her at the empty bed.
    “I’ll find out.”
    Juan ran to the emergency nurse’s station and started asking questions, sending nurses to their telephones and clipboards.  Patel followed him over.  He saw her approaching and held up a finger as he spoke to someone on his own cell phone.  Patel looked around.  A general panic was beginning to descend upon the place.  Nurses shouted into phone receivers, uniformed security officers came rushing in and started peeking into every emergency treatment room.
    Juan uttered a small curse and jammed his phone back into his pocket.  Patel gave him an inquiring look.  Juan shrugged.
    “He’s gone.”
    ***
    Toria beat Summ to the side of the cot.  The yellow-haired man groaned again and tossed his arms.  The frail cot creaked under his weight.  Toria leaned over the man and was looking directly into his face when he opened his eyes.
    “Blue,” she announced before being pulled away by her mother.  “His eyes are blue.”
    Mattus and Seeja looked at each other knowingly.
    Summ made a hushing gesture and dipped the cloth back into the pail of water at the bedside, then cautiously dabbed at the man’s forehead.  His eyes darted around the room several times as if trying to determine where he was.  Mattus furtively felt for the hilt of the